While Universal and Relativity duke it out to see who will be the first out of the gate with a Snow White movie, Disney is taking the stealthy road to its more elevated project, Snow and the Seven.

Michael Arndt, who just last week received an Oscar nomination for his work on Toy Story 3, is in negotiations to work on the script. Production designer John Myhre, an Oscar winner for his work on Memoirs of a Geisha and Chicago who’s working on Disney’s new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, has been brought on board to begin creating the worlds of the fairy tale, which is set in 19th century China.

Yes, China.

The unique project, which Disney has been developing since 2002, centers on a 19th century Englishwoman who returns to her Hong Kong home for her father's funeral, only to discover that her stepmother is plotting against her. She escapes to mainland China, finding solace among a rogue band of seven international warriors.

Francis Lawrence has been on board to direct since early on, even as writers such as Michael Chabon, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, and Jayson Rothwell took cracks at the script, originally written by Scott Elder and Josh Harmon. Andrew Gunn is producing.

With all systems go for Snow, the big question is Natalie Portman’s involvement. Since last year, Portman has been circling to star, but her pregnancy now raises questions of whether she will be ready to undertake such a physically intense tentpole, which will feature several different fighting styles. Whether she’s in or not, Disney will easily attract another top star.

Snow White and the Huntsman may have more to overcome than just one clash with the Evil Queen.

Producer Joe Roth tells EW that he plans on making the folktale action-adventure movie into a trilogy. “It’s meant to be the first in a series of films,” he said. “This story will end, but there will be questions remaining for these three characters.”

It’s an ambitious move by the Alice in Wonderland producer, who is in a neck-and-neck competition with a rival Snow White film starring Julia Roberts. Shooting is already underway on that movie, while Roth’s film — which stars Kristen Stewart and Thor‘s Chris Hemsworth as the title characters and Charlize Theron as her wicked royal highness — begins principal photography in August.

The two movies will open roughly two-and-a-half months apart next year. Roth’s movie debuts second, on June 1, but he’s hoping audience’s will be drawn in by a Lord of the Rings-style take on the centuries-old tale.

“We retain the basic story in the same way we retain the basic story of Alice, a young girl meant to be the queen who is cast out,” Roth says. “The Huntsman is a mercenary, in the sense that he’s a guy who is very able in the woods, more able than most anyone. His job is to capture runaway girls, who are all fleeing the kingdom because of the queen. He’s a nondescript bounty hunter, as we first meet him.”

But he’s no killer, Roth stresses. Snow White’s bounty is the first time he has been directed to return with only a part of the missing girl — her heart. When he finds he doesn’t have it within his to cut hers out, the two become unlikely allies — at first fleeing the Queen’s forces, and then mounting a counterattack on her kingdom.

“He’s not a nice guy, but not only that he’s someone who has lost hope and lost faith. He has lost his wife, given up on everything,” the producer says.

This take on the character of Snow White is also different from the sweetly-singing princess we’ve seen before. “She starts out not a damsel in distress, but innocent, and after 11 years of imprisonment by the Evil Queen, she escapes and learns the ways of a warrior in the woods,” according to Roth.

If the previous work of first-time feature director Rupert Sanders is any indication, expect major battle sequences. Sanders is known for harrowing (and sometimes hilarious) live-action ads for videogames Halo 3 and Call of Duty, as well as the NSFW short-film adaptation of the graphic novel Black Hole.

As for casting Stewart in the role: “Frankly, what we did, we searched high and low for an unknown. Which was my want after Alice,” he says. “As we went through it, it just became evident to me that Kristen occupies a space in the universe where she’s a terrific actress only known for one part. I hope this is a movie that will appeal to those who find Twilight appealing, but also [Stewart] is someone who has some piss and vinegar in her.”

If the “fairest of them all” is described that way, imagine how the Evil Queen will be. ”She’ll be larger than life,” Roth chuckles. “Evil without any burden of guilt.”

Expect more details when Snow White and the Huntsman makes its presentation at Comic-Con later this month.

Snow White & the Huntsman has a read the first draught of the script but I can't bear Kristen Stewart, like literally can't stand to watch her in anything. Her aside, I love the casting, especially the dwarves. Between these films & The Hobbit we're going into dwarf overload.

^I agree. Dwarf overload. Speaking of Dwarves. Here are some pictures to go with names. A lot of the dwarves in the Brothers Grimm are familiar by face, but aren't big names like the ones in the Huntsman:

Ray Winstone as a dwarf is an utter gem, put him in a movie Bob Hoskins, Eddie Izzard & Ian McShane and it's fab, my Kristen issues aside. Just read my last post back, what I meant to say was that I read the first draught of the script and it was fab lol

Ray Winstone as a dwarf is an utter gem, put him in a movie Bob Hoskins, Eddie Izzard & Ian McShane and it's fab, my Kristen issues aside. Just read my last post back, what I meant to say was that I read the first draught of the script and it was fab lol

If you don't mind me asking, what was the tone like in the script? Was it dark because the producer said they are going for more of a LOTR's feel for the movie? But I heard that the script has been rewritten a few times. Thanks

Thanks Tanii for the link Both of the movies sound interesting my only problem is that both have been fighting back and forth for the first release date and I think that might be a problem regarding the final product. Meaning both seem to have quite a bit of special effects in them and one movie comes out in March and the other in June. To me that doesn't seem like enough time?

Some people have been speculating that Universal might move back there movie after Relativity's releases theirs in March. Giving them some more time in post production. But I don't think they should go back to their original date in December. The Hobbit comes out at the same time, that is dangerous competition. I think it's better to stay in June.

I can't stand Kirsten Stewart in at all although out of the two films already in production her's does sound like a better plot. I sure hope she doesn't screw it up. But to me, the Disney film sounds interesting, it's a cool twist to the story. And Natalie Portman would be amazing, although I always thought the Snow White was suppose to be younger (not that Portman isn't young... but you know). It's an interesting idea setting it in China- but why not use a Chinese actress then? Because I may be over thinking it but it could end up seeming a bit imperialistic having the main character as a foreigner in 19th century China. But who knows I guess we'll have to wait and see.

__________________http://miss-rumphius.tumblr.com/ "It is ever so much easier to be good if your clothes are fashionable." Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Hailee Steinfeld, one would think, would be a prime candidate for a Snow White film but hey-ho. Oh an unintentional dwarf pun haha! Anyway as Chloe24 asked yeah, the script is quite dark, it was a provisional script we got in for a few of our actors who were going up for the Prince role, to look over.That was over 6 months ago it will have been re-written a dozen times by now. But honestly I don't see Kristen Stewart doing it. I think they've made a huge ****-up there and just gone by her work in Twilight!